High wind plus tarp = frustration

[wizardofhaws]

Help.

I have just upgraded my tarp from the big blue beast from Walmart to a Kelty 12. I chose the 12 since it will be my only tarp for awhile and needs to serve as a ground shelter and sun shade at times.

Today here in the Ausin TX we have high sustained winds and I have a camp out this weekend so I figured this would be a great chance to try setting up the tarp in adverse conditions. Boy was I right. First I realized that for this tarp I need to set my ridgeline higher then I was used to since I need more space to tie it out. Got that resolved.

My big issue was with just trying to get the tarp setup with the winds. I am using prusik loops to small biners on the tarp and that helped a lot just to get some level of control. However, I had a terrible time trying to get the sides tied out. I was never really able to get it setup.

Is it better to setup the leward side first or the edge with the wind?

Looking for some tips for this as I know others on the boards here have a lot more experience with this.

[Red Wing]

I clip my tarp up to my ridgeline then stake out the side the wind is blowing into. Letting your lines loose int he wind is a sure way to tangle the hell out of'em.

In all actuality, you could clip one biner stake out the side the wind's blowing into, then let the rest of the tarp out and clip and stake the other side, then finish up all the others.

My .02, sure there are plenty of different effective ways, but this was how I did it in 30+mph winds we had a couple weeks ago

[lmoseley7]

I read a comment about a related question once that basically asked why you wouldn't just stake the tarp first and then connect it to the ridgeline if the only issue was wind and not rain. When I read that it was so obvious to me I wondered why I hadn't thought about doing it that way.

[Shewie]

You can peg both sides of the tarp in one using just a short loop near the tie out, peg both sides to one peg and then release one and move it over.

Then it's a case of releasing each tie out in turn and adjusting how you want it.

Hanked up cordage can help when it's flapping though.

[Shug]

I find that snake-skins help control the tarp in the wind a good bit.....let a bit of one side out and peg.
I seem to always do the leeward side first. No reason to it it just feels right to me.
Shug

[MAD777]

Snakeskins are a lifesaver in the wind for me! I've done this without snakeskins and I'll never go back!

I also hank all my guylines - the last thing you want are tangled guylines in that situation.

Like Shug, I do the leeward side first, but I could see an argument for staking the windward side, too. I think I just put off the hardest one for last.

[turnerminator]

I do the windward side first to get it out the way with. The corner goes in, then the next and so on.

I always do the ridgeline first, then the tie-outs. I've thought of doing the ground first but discounted it becuase I know I'll have more trouble getting the ridgeline up.

In wind, double staking is my friend on the windward side

[obxh2o]

I seem to always do the leeward side first. No reason to it it just feels right to me.
Shug

Never thought I would disagree with the venerable Shug but, I set the windward side first. Think it comes from my sailing experience.

After thinking about this a minute, does it matter? To each their own.

[Catavarie]

I keep my tarp in snake skins, they help tremendously to keep the tarp under some semblance of control in the wind. I tend to stake down the windward side first. Left over habit from ground camping, where by staking windward first the wind spreads the tarp/t*** out away from you instead of bunching it up towards where you're trying to drive a stake in the ground.

[djminnesota]

i use snake skins and stake out the guylines as they come out of the wrap... usually dont have to much trouble